Power Cube: Design Rationale Definition

Power Cube: Design Rationale
The Power Cube is an interchangeable power source. This design approach satisfies a number of
the OSE Core Values.
1. Modular. Power Cubes are easily traded out and the design is easily altered. At the same time,
there is an overall logic to the design that encourages interoperability.
2. User-Friendly. The Power Cube can be transported without special equipment and swapped
out with only a few minutes training.
3. Do-It-Yourself. Build it yourself. Use it yourself. Repair it yourself. Nothing about a Power Cube
requires special tools or proprietary information.
4. Resilience. Power Cubes work for you, not against you. If one breaks, you can swap it out in the
field and get back to work.
5. Systems Design. The Power Cube does not maximize the performance of any particular
machine. Rather, it maximizes the performance of the entire GVCS system of systems.
6. Substitutability. Any GVCS machine designed to accept a Power Cube can just as easily be
powered by a commercial equivalent or by manual activity. Additionally, Power Cubes can replace
commercial and manual equivalents in non-GVCS applications.
7. Scalability. The concept of the power cube automatically lends itself to smaller versions, larger
versions and versions with different power in/out puts.
8. Simplicity. Each Power Cube is composed of the bare minimum components necessary for goanywhere power production.
9. Sufficiency. The Power Cube is “good enough” but could be augmented to achieve any specified
level of performance.
10. Realistic Immediacy. Power Cubes are doing real work right now and the design is already in
its fourth version.
Definition
The Power Cube is a universal power unit, and it is a module that can be attached to the LifeTrac,
Microtrac, Bulldozer, and Open Source Car (OSCar) platforms. As such, any of these platforms can
be used as power sources for other devices, such as workshop tools, power generators, ironworker
machines, or any other devices which require a power source. The key to this flexibility is the
self-contained nature of the Power Cube, where quick-connect hoses and quick-connect physical
mounting allow the Power Cube to be coupled to use with other devices. It has frame-integrated
fuel and hydraulic reservoirs. It currently contains an 18 or 27 hp gasoline engine, coupled to
a hydraulic pump, and produces fluid flow up to 15 gallons per minute and up to 3000 pounds
per square inch (PSI) pressure. It connects to other devices via quick couplers and quick-connect
Open Source Ecology
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Power Cube: Design Rationale
hydraulic hoses. A modern steam engine will be retrofitted as soon as it is developed to allow
complete fuel flexibility.
Problem Statement and Solution
Power machinery and equipment typically uses dedicated engine units, such that a large number
of different engines is required to power a large number of powered equipment. The engine unit
is the heart of any powered device.
Solution
By decoupling the power unit from a powered device via quick-attach coupling – it is possible to
turn a dedicated power unit into a flexible power module. We have shown proof of concept – in
that power units can be shared between different machines. This allows for drastic cost reduction
in the overall cost of mechanical infrastructures.
Product Ecology
The current iteration of the power cube is an off-the-shelf gasoline engine, but the design is
intended to be as power source agnostic as possible so that the power production can be readily
changed. There will likely be many variations on the power cube design, but all fitting inside a
similar size profile so that a GVCS machine can readily swap out one Power Cube for another.
Open Source Ecology
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